Subsoiler



Nov. 16, 1954 2,694,354

T. w. ROBERG ,SUBSOILER Filed Dec. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Fig./

heodore W. Roberg INVENTOR.

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SUBSOILER Filed Dec. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Theodore W. Roberg l INVENTOR.

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United States Patent SUBSOILER Theodore W. Roberg, Manchester, Conn.

Application December 19, 1952, Serial No. 326,889

7 Claims. (Cl. 9747.81)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sub-soilers and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a sub-soiler that will operate in rocky and ledgy ground without undue breakage caused by hitting rocks and without undue loss of time encountered when conventional break-away safety hitches are used.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a sub-soiler including novel and improved cushioning and guiding means that will permit the blade of the sub-soiler to clear rocks thereby reducing breakage of the blade to a minimum.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sub-soiler including a vertical blade and a spring urged shielding plunger disposed in front of the blade to be retracted as it strikes and rides over a rock or the like so that the blade may be shielded against the rock engaged by the plunger.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a sub-soiler that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, efficient and durable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of the construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation view of the present invention in use;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the present invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 33 of Figure 2, and with the adjusting lever removed;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and showing the shielding plunger engaging a rock;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of Figure 4 and showing a large rock being engaged with the shielding plunger;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 66 of Figure 3 with the parts within the upper and lower tubes removed;

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 7-7 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of Figure 3 taken substantially in the direction of section line 8-8 in Figure 3;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the invention in modified form; and,

Figure 10 is a detail vertical structural view taken substantially on the plane of section line ill-1i} of Figure 9.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 14) represents a vertical cutter blade having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined forward beveled edge 12, and upper and lower substantially horizontal edges 14 and 16.

The lower edge 16 of blade Ml is fixed by welding or the like to the upper periphery of a lower horizontal tube 18 and the upper edge 14 of the blade 10 is fixed by welding or the like to the lower wall of an upper horizontal tube 20.

The forward end of the lower tube 18 terminates at the edge 12 and slidably receives a shielding plunger 22 having a downwardly and forwardly inclined end 24. A coil spring 26 within the rear end portion of tube 13 is biased between the rear end of plunger 22 and an abutment ring 28 fixed in the rear end of the tube 18 to 2,694,354 Patented Not/.16, 1954 yieldingly urge the forward end of the plunger 22 forwardly of the lower end of edge 12.

The forward end portion of upper tube 20 projects well forwardly from the edge 12 of blade 10 and has a bearing 30 fitted therein that slidably receives the shank 32 of a hitch element 34. A coil spring 36 embraces the shank 32 and is biased between bearing 30 and the enlarged rear end 38 of the shank 32 to urge the hitch element rearwardly relative to the forward end of the tube 20.

A vertical tube 40 extends between and is terminally fixed to the ends of the tubes 18 and 20. Tube 40 is also fixecll the rear vertical edge of blade 10 by welding or the i e.

A cable 42 extends through the tubes 18, 20, and 40, and is terminally fixed to the rear ends of the plunger 22 and the hitch element 34. Cable 42 is engaged over pulleys 44 and 46 secured within the rear ends of the tubes 13 and 20.

Tube 18 supports a key 43 that enters a keyWay 50 in the upper periphery of the plunger 22, whereby the plunger may move longitudinally without rotation, thereby retaining the end 24 sloping downwardly and forwardly.

The central portion of a yoke 52 is journaled for rotation in a bearing 54 fixed on the tube 29. Yoke S2 straddles tube 26 and its ends are turned outwardly to support gage wheels 56. A ratchet segment 58 is fixed on the forward end of tube 28 and swingably supports a lever 60 that is connected to a rigid arm 62 carried by yoke 52 through the medium of a pitman 64. Lever 60 slidably supports a locking rod or dog 66 that is spring urged into engagement with a selected notch in the ratchet 58.

Obviously, other suitable means may be employed for adjusting the yoke 52 about its pivot axis, such as bydraulic means in order that the gage Wheels 56 may be raised or lowered from a point remote from the sub-soiler.

In practical use of the present invention, the hitch element 34 is coupled to the draw bar of a tractor T and the lever 66 is adjusted to position the wheels 56 for limiting penetration of the blade 10 to a predetermined ept The sub-soiler is pulled through the soil and as the shielding plunger 22 engages an obstruction such as a ledge L or rock R, the plunger will be retracted and the blade 10 and tubes 18 and 20 will move relative to the hitch element 34 and the plunger 22 as shown in Figure 4, and the plunger 22 will ride up over the obstruction to shield the edge 12 of blade 10, thereby protecting the edge 12 and prolonging the use of the blade 10.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the present invention in slightly modified form. In this embodiment, the blade 10a has its lower straight edge fixed by welding or the like to the upper periphery of a tubular portion 11 formed with the upper wall of a horizontal plunger tube 18a.

The plunger 22a slidably received in the front end of tube 18a is provided with an upstanding key 23 that is slidably received in the portion 11 through a slot 25 in tube 18a. A floating rod 27 is slidable in portion 11 and supports a piston 29 at its rear end having contact with the inner periphery of the portion 11.

A passage 31 in the blade 10:: extends into the rear end of portion 11. The upper end of the passage 31 is coupled by a hose or flexible conduit (not shown) to the hydraulic system of a tractor so that fluid under pressure may be diverted through passage 31 and into the portion 11 to force the rod 27 forwardly and with it the spring pressed plunger 22a.

When the forward end of plunger 22a engages a rock or the like, the fluid within portion 11 behind rod 27 will be compressed to cushion rearward movement of the plunger 22:; beyond the cushion eifect ailorded by the spring 2611.

Having described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

1. In a sub-soiler, a vertical blade having a leading beveled edge, upper and lower tubes fixed to the blade, a plunger slidably received in the forward end of the lower tube, a spring ur ing the plunger from the forward end of the lower tube, a hitch element slidably received in the forward end of the upper tube, spring means urging 3 the hitch element rearwardly in the forward end of 'the upper tube, and a flexible element connecting the hitch element to the plunger so that the blade and tubes may move relative to the hitch element and the plunger as the plunger engages an obstruction.

2. In a sub-soiler, a vertical blade having a leading beveled edge, upper and lower tubes fixed to the blades, a plunger slidably received in the forward end of the lower tube, a spring urging the plunger from the forward end of the lower tube, a hitch element slidably received in the forward end of the upper tube, spring means urging the hitch element rearwardly in the forward end of the upper tube, and a flexible element connecting the hitch element to the plunger so that the blade and tubes may move relative to the hitch element and the plunger as the plunger engages an obstruction, said leading beveled edge inclining downwardly and rearwardly from the upper tube to the lower tube, and said plunger having a cam surfaced forward end portion projecting from the lower end of said leading edge.

3. In a sub-soiler, a vertical blade having a leading beveled edge, upper and lower tubes fixed to the blade, a plunger slidably received in the forward end of the lower tube, a spring urging the plunger from the forward end of the lower tube, a hitch element slidably received in the forward end of the upper tube, spring means urging the hitch element rearwardly in the forward end of the upper tube, and a flexible element connecting the hitch element to the plunger so that the blade and tubes may move relative to the hitch element and the plunger as the plunger engages an obstruction, said leading beveled edge inclining downwardly and rearwardly from the upper tube to the lower tube, and said plunger having a downwardly and forwardly inclined forward end portion projecting from the lower end of said leading edge, and means restricting rotation of the plunger within the lower tube.

4. A sub-soiler comprising upper and lower horizontal tubes, a blade fixedly secured to and extending between said tubes and having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined beveled edge extending between the forward ends of the tubes, a plunger slidably received in the forward end of the lower tube and having an inclined forward end projecting forwardly from the lower end of said beveled edge, a spring in the lower tube urging the plunger forwardly, a hitch element slidably carried by the forward end of the upper tube, a flexible element connecting the plunger to the hitch element, a swingable gage support pivotally carried by the upper tube, gage wheels on the support, and means engaged with the support for retaining the support pivotally adjusted.

5. A sub-soiler comprising upper and lower horizontal tubes, a blade fixedly secured to and extending between said tubes and having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined beveled edge extending between the forward ends of the tubes, a plunger slidably received in the forward end of the lower tube and having an inclined forward end projecting forwardly from the lower end of said beveled edge, a spring in the lower tube urging the plunger forwardly, a hitch element slidably carried by the forward end of the upper tube, a spring engaging and urging the hitch element rearwardly of the forward end of said upper tube, a vertical tube between the rear ends of said upper and lower tubes, and a flexible element extending through said upper, lower and vertical tubes and connecting said hitch element to said plunger.

6. The combination of claim 5 and a yoke straddling the upper tube and having a central portion swingably supported on the upper tube, a gage wheel on each end of the yoke, and means connected to the yoke for adjusting the yoke about its axis of swing.

7. The combination of claim 5 and hydraulic means connected to said plunger for dampening the movement of said plunger and associated spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 819,390 Warren May 1, 1906 1,371,064 Agneni Mar. 8, 1921 1,625,278 Paul Apr 17, 1927 1,926,619 Hasselberg Sept. 12, 1933 2,628,548 Ramsey Feb. 17, 1953 

